David Laws MP, Yeovil voted against making the income threshold for recovering child benefit £100,000 for a couple combined, rather than £50,000 for either individual.

The majority of MPs voted against a proposal from Christopher Chope MP (Conservative, Christchurch) to recover child benefit from those couples with a total income of over £100,000, rather than from couples in which either individual has an income of over £50,000[1].

A tax on those with an income over £50,000 designed to recover child benefit paid to such individuals was present in the bill under discussion[2]. The tax would only apply to the higher earning individual in a couple.

During the debate Mr Chope suggested the original proposal was unfair saying[3]:

two people on £50,000 a year with children will not have to pay the high income child benefit charge, whereas a family with children with one person earning over £60,000 will have to pay it.

The text of Mr Chope's rejected amendment was:

in schedule 1, at end insert—

(5) A person (P) is not liable to a high income child benefit charge if the total adjusted net income for the year of that person and any partner does not exceed £100,000’.

Minister David Gauke, The Exchequer Secretary, explained the Government's position, which was reflected in the bill as introduced, was based on ease of administration, saying[4]:

The focus on doing this through the tax system and on having one taxpayer above a certain threshold enables us to avoid the position whereby we would have to put every child benefit claimant through the tax credit system and apply a means-tested system to 8 million different cases, creating a substantially greater administrative struggle for both Government and many individuals. That is why we have taken that particular point.

A vote for Mr Chope's amendment is a vote in favour of greater recognition of couples in the tax and benefits system.

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